Orange County's best public high schools for 2012 succeed academically, while they prepare students for college and careers and provide a supportive environment for learning.

The Register's fifth annual high school ranking analyzed academic, demographic and misconduct data for our 67 local high schools.

Oxford Academy in Cypress again ranked as the county's best school. Oxford's high rate of college-ready grads and unrivaled academic scores drive the school's success.

Twenty-one of the very best campuses were awarded medals. All Irvine schools again won medals, while two campuses, No. 5 Early College High in Costa Mesa and No. 10 Fountain Valley High, cracked the top 10 for the first time.

Read the analysis

O.C.'s best high schools: Strong academics are the telling point for this year's top school's led by Oxford's soaring Academic Performance Index score, the state's second highest.

Peruse our in-depth profiles

No. 5 Early College High: Early College students focus exclusively on their academics in a program that allows them to earn college degrees during high school.

Database:Review our comprehensive database of test scores and environmental factors for all 67 ranked high schools, as well as nine K-8 schools that were not part of this score set. Details range from Academic Performance Index to student-teacher ratios.

No. 7 Col. J.K. Tuffree Middle School: This Placentia school prepares students for the technology that characterizes our times, and has achieved an astounding 85 point increase in its Academic Performance Index score over three years.

Database:Review our comprehensive database of test scores and environmental factors for all 87 ranked middle schools, as well as nine K-8 schools that were not part of this score set. Details range from Academic Performance Index to student-teacher ratios.

Early College High School students take their final exams. LEONARD ORTIZ, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Nghia Dao, 12, greets science teacher Vanessa Marquez before class. "I love this school, the teachers and the food," Dao said. Fountain Valley High is No. 10 in The Register's 2012 report on the county's public high school quality. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Crystal Jerabek's passion seems to be contagious as her students get involved in a lively discussion about subjectivity at 10th ranked Fountain Valley High School. The Orange County Register ranks the county's public high school quality annually. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Fountain Valley High School, in the Huntington Beach Union High School District, has been honored as the No. 10 best public high school in Orange County in The Orange County Register's 2012 report on county's public high school quality in the county. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Vanessa Marquez teaches physical science with flair at Fountain Valley High, ranked No. 10 according to The Register's 2012 report on Orange County's public high school quality. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Fountain Valley High teacher Annalis Winkler is also the school's student-teacher program coordinator. Fountain Valley High is ranked No. 10 in The Register's 2012 report on the county's public high school quality. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Students speak and act out words in the Spanish II, a multi-grade class, at Oxford Academy in Cypress. MARK RIGHTMIRE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Students walk between buildings as they change classes at Oxford Academy in Cypress Tuesday morning. MARK RIGHTMIRE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Associated Student Body officers discuss upcoming events during a meeting at Oxford Academy in Cypress. MARK RIGHTMIRE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Robert Roque takes a test with the rest of his Spanish II class at Oxford Academy in Cypress. MARK RIGHTMIRE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Sophomore Luke Napolitano supplies an answer during his honors biology class at Corona del Mar High in Newport Beach. High standards have led to a high percentage of college-ready students at the school. H. LORREN AU JR., THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Students head to their classes at Corona del Mar High in Newport Beach School on a recent rainy morning. The school ranks among the highest in student success rate on AP exams. H. LORREN AU JR., THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Students Madison Crane, left, and William Stimpson conduct an experiment involving chemical reactions and combustion during a chemistry class at Corona del Mar High. H. LORREN AU JR., THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Corona del Mar High students head to their classes following a lunch break. H. LORREN AU JR., THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Corona del Mar High School chemistry teacher Terri Stevens delivers a lesson near a board congratulating the school's football team on their recent success on the field. The high school also ranks among the highest in student academics and successful AP exam rates. H. LORREN AU JR., THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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